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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27345448">cuddling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/all_hail_the_witcher/pseuds/all_hail_the_witcher'>all_hail_the_witcher</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asexual Character, Asexual Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Asexual Jaskier | Dandelion, Asexual Relationship, Emotionally Constipated Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Hence the title, I have no idea, Insecure Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Protective Jaskier | Dandelion, Touch-Starved Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, and having sex when you dont want to, and he explains and they cuddle, and he thinks that jaskier wants to have sex with him, because hes a witcher and he has to serve humans, but i rated it teen for that, but still kinda low key bittersweet, but we can pretend, does this count as nsfw, essentially geralt thinks that he has to have sex with humans, geralt learns about asexuality, gray aro geralt, he just mentions it though, he talks about his feelings !!!, hes just not ready to say it yet, i didnt kill anyone this time, implied dubious consent, its not ace week anymore, jaskier does not, jaskier educates him, kind of, there's no explicit sexual content, they cuddle, this is soft, this was for ace week, warnings for</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:02:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,834</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27345448</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/all_hail_the_witcher/pseuds/all_hail_the_witcher</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Geralt was taught from a young age to serve and protect humans in every way he could. On the Path he learns that this applies to everything from monsters to....sex. Geralt doesn't like sex but he does it anyway because its his job to serve and protect humans. His own comfort doesnt matter. Humans need him for one task, usually and then they leave. </p>
<p>But he's known Jaskier for five years and he doesn't need a monster killed so he must want to have sex with him, right?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>or: Jaskier discovers that Geralt needs a lesson in setting personal boundaries and how to cuddle. softness ensues.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>337</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>cuddling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hi. i dont know if i tagged this correctly. i swear its soft and sweet. if you think i should add a warning please lmk !!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
<p></p><div class=""><p>Geralt was a Witcher. His entire livelihood consisted of him doing things for humans: killing monsters, bargaining with sorceresses, fighting wars, protecting them from pretty much anything that could hurt their fragile mortal selves. It had been trained into him ever since he was a child. Do what the humans ask of you. It is your job. </p></div><div class=""><p>So why would sex be any different?</p></div><div class=""><p>Humans enjoyed sex. This was something Geralt had come to learn during his time on the path. What was even worse was that some of them especially enjoyed having sex with Witchers. </p></div><div class=""><p>Geralt did not enjoy sex. He was not a human, and it was decidedly a human activity. But that did not stop humans from wanting to have sex with him. Some sought him out specifically, wanting to know what it was like to lie with a Witcher for a night. Others insisted on paying him for his monster hunting duties with a round. He never took pleasure in it. Sometimes he would pretend he did. He had gotten quite good at pretending over the years, learning little tricks that humans seemed to like. But the act of it itself made his skin crawl for days on end and he could feel their fingers and lips long after the marks on his skin had faded.</p></div><div class=""><p>But he worked for humans. He couldn't deny them what they asked of him. </p></div><div class=""><p>He assumed Jaskier would be the same. The man was certainly human, so much so that he would flirt with grass if it came down to it (which, admittedly, Geralt had only witnessed once, and Jaskier had been very drunk at the time, but still). But he never tried to bed him, which surprised Geralt. He knew he was good, if the praises of the the people he'd laid with before were any indication Humans generally needed him for a favor and then left him to the wind. Jaskier hadn’t asked him to kill a monster or help him track down an unruly mage, and it had been years at least since they had first crossed paths. The only logical conclusion that Geralt could come to was that Jaskier was waiting for him to bed him and then he would leave, just like everyone else.</p></div><div class=""><p>The problem was that Geralt had grown quite fond of Jaskier over the years (and his incessant flirting) and while he didn’t want the bard to leave, he also didnt want Jaskier to be miserable following him around anymore. Five years was quite a long time to wait for a round, especially in human years. Resignedly, Geralt told himself that in the next town he would lay with Jaskier and then the whole thing could be over, and they could both move on with their lives. </p></div></div><div class="">
  <p>He rented a room with one bed, as they often did, despite there being enough coin for one with two. Jaksier hardly noticed, flouncing off to play a few sets for the locals while Geralt went upstairs to prepare. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He felt the characteristic tightening of his stomach and the shakiness that always came with this particular activity, but he stripped down obediently, even talking the time to rub some of the oils Jaskier liked to much into his hair before laying down on the bed to wait. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He didn’t have to wait long. “Geralt! You’ll never believe th- whoa, were you expecting someone?” He stood in the doorway awkwardly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Just you,” Geralt grunted. They should get this over with. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Me? Geralt...did you think I wanted to have sex with you?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Well...” Geralt picked at the blanket, feeling foolish for having to explain himself, he thought that humans should understand these things. “Humans always need me for something. And you dont need a monster killed, so I figured....” “Oh dear heart,” Jaskier walked over and sat down on the bed next to him, running his fingers though his hair. “Please do not take this the wrong way, but I do not want to have sex with you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You don’t?” Geralt was shocked. “But...humans....”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Not all humans like sex Geralt. I certainly don’t. It makes me skin crawl and I feel all weird after. So I don’t do it. I’m still plenty romantic with people, but I dont get into bed with them.” “Hmm.” Jaskier didn’t like sex either? Maybe it wasn't a human thing after all.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What it Geralt? That was your I’m-Contemplating-Something hum.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“It...makes my skin crawl too.” He said carefully after a few moments. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jaskier’s hand slowed in his hair. “Dear heart,” he began carefully. “Do you like sex?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Did he? No one had ever asked him what he wanted before. He didnt think he did. It didnt feel pleasant and he usually had to jump in a cold stream after. “No.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Then why did you want to do it with me?” “You’re human,” Geralt shrugged. “Humans either want me to kill monsters or want me in their bed. I serve humans, I can’t turn them down. You are a human.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"But you dont like sex?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No. I’m a Witcher. It’s probably the mutations. But can still get by.” Actually, now that he thought about it, from what he remembered, he’d never been much interested in it before the trials either.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Geralt,” Jaskier tilted his chin up to look at him and he saw sadness swirling in his eyes. “Not wanting to have sex is not a Witcher thing. Plenty of humans feel the same way too. Admittedly there aren't many of us, I’ve only come across a few in my lifetime, and I think there's a word for it but I can’t remember it right now. Sex does not interest me either, but there are far more other important things in a relationship than just sex.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Geralt was confused. “But sex is the only thing people ever wanted me for.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“And I’m terribly sorry about that, dear heart, but you’re with me now and I will never make you have sex with me. Have you ever- or wait, is there anything else that you dont like?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Geralt’s head was spinning, and he was still stuck on the part where Jaskier had said that he would never make Geralt have sex with him. For the first time that evening, he felt his hands stop their shaking and something like warmth bloom inside him. “Hmm?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Is there anything else you dont like doing? Besides the sex bit I mean.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Besides sex....Geralt tried to remember what came along with laying with someone. He usually blocked it all out after. “Kissing,” he finally said. “Burns my skin.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Alright, we’ll do none of that then.” Jaskier moved from the bed, beginning to take off his doublet and Geralt seized up for a second, afraid that Jaskier was going go back on his word, but then he reached for his nightclothes. “Are you familiar with cuddling?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Cuddling?” The word felt unfamiliar in his mouth.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’ll take that as a no.” Jaskier smiled. “Go put your nightclothes on. I think I have something that you will enjoy far better than that nasty sex business.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>So here it was then, Jasper did need him for a service after all. Geralt got out of bed and slowly pulled on his night clothes, painfully aware this would be their last night together before they parted ways for good, before returning to the bed. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Right, so youre just going to lay on your side, yes right like that, and then I lay behind you, see? And I put my arm around you like this, and we snuggle.” Jaskier’s breath tickled his hair.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What do we do though?” “What do you mean, what do we do?” Despite Jaskier’s words though, he didnt seem angry. “This is it. We hold each other and enjoy each others presence. We can change positions, if you want, like you can take a turn holding me for example or I could lay on your chest, but we just hold each other close. Show each other we care. This is called cuddling.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hmm.” As far as Geralt was concerned, it was far better than sex. But he knew it wouldn't last. This was all Jaskier wanted from him, clearly, which prevented Geralt from thoroughly enjoying it. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Where will you go?” he spoke into the silence a few long moments later. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jaskier paused drawing light patterns on Geralts forearm. “What do you mean?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Tomorrow.” Wasn't it obvious?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Well I’ll go wherever you’re going. Just like we always have?"</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You...you’re not,” Geralt swallowed thickly. “You’re not leaving?” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Leaving?” Jaskier’s voice rose an octave. “Why on the continent would I be leaving?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’ve got what you wanted from me, with this....cuddling business. You have no reason to stay.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Oh dear heart.” The next thing he knew he was being flipped around to face Jaskier. Jaskier, who had tears in his eyes that were just barely visible in the low light. Instinctively, he reached up to brush them away. “I’m cuddling with you because I care about you, because I <em>love</em>you. Not because I want something from you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Oh.” Geralt didn’t know what to say. Jaskier loved him? No one had ever loved him before, much less cared about him or wanted him to be comfortable. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jaskier placed his hand on Geralt’s chest. “You never have to do anything you dont want to do with me. And if you don’t want to travel with me anymore, I’ll leave. You are your own person, Geralt, even if you are a Witcher. And you make your own decisions. You wouldn't take a contract that you felt unsafe doing, so in the same vein, you dont have to have sex with anyone if you dont want to. You make your own decisions. You dont even have to cuddle with me right now if you want to. You choose what you want to do based on what you’re comfortable doing, do you understand?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Geralt nodded into the darkness. This was all so much. He hadn't been able to make his decisions in...well ever. And now Jaskier was giving him permission to. “I want you to stay,” he whispered. “I....care about you too.” He didnt say that he thought he could love him, he wasn't ready to say that yet. And according to Jaskier he didnt have to say it if he didnt want to. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Good. Now that we've got that sorted, come here,” Jaskier pulled Geralt into his chest, running his fingers through his hair delicately. Geralt closed his eyes, never had he felt more safe in his entire life. Who knew humans could be so gentle?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Just as he was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness he whispered, “Jaskier?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hmm?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Geralt felt a small smile tug at his lips at hearing how own language on Jaskier’s lips. “Can we do more of this...cuddling?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jaskier’s laugh sounded through his chest, vibrating pleasantly against Geralt’s ear. “Of course we can, dear heart. Of course.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>god i love these two little ace boys. they deserve softness.</p>
<p>come talk to me and request things on tumblr:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <a href="https://tmblr.co/mya9AR0Vn-K_MNqp9aKaKgg">@suddenly-im-respecsable</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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